Une Ode à La Mariée | A Crowning Moment: Backstage Princess Bride Diaries

Legendary hairstylist Odile Gilbert crowns Lacroix's "La Mariée" Vlada at the Centre Pompidou

Subsequent to Pascal – my ultra-altruistic "chauffeur extraordinaire" (he surprised me at Charles de Gaulle with the most delightful Parisian cat book and later Ladurée macaroons to tote home for my roommate Elana) – proffering my super warmhearted and loyal Norweigan mate Siri Tollerød and the always ebullient Aussie Skye Stracke an entertaining lift from the Chanel presentation on rue Cambon to the Christian Lacroix show at the Centre Pompidou, I tarried backstage with some familiar faces and old friends. 

After catching up with Heidi Mount and Ellen von Unwerth, I settled at "coiffure" with the brilliant and witty Odile Gilbert, where I chatted with the lovely Tanya Dziahileva (snug as a bunny in the most charming striped Sonia Rykiel cardigan... more on our adventures later) and Lacroix's third-time bride-to-be Vlada Roslyakova. 

Vlada – who attained the throne as Lacroix's "La Mariée" when fellow doll-faced belle Lily Cole bowed out of Couture runway in July 2007 – revealed that she was keen on how the strawberry blonde rinse applied for an upcoming Christian Lacroix video campaign (details originally reported at PAPERMAG, thanks to Women Management's James Tinnelly's kind missives) began to fade into the most fetching reddish-flaxen. Just as the backstage photographers and video cameramen had vacated the scene and made their way to the wardrobe chambre, I suddenly beheld "the crowning moment" [above]. 

Originally assuming that I was in sooth a model awaiting maquillage (flatteringly jesting that "Kate Moss was short too, you know"), Odile apprised to me that the gleaming wedding tiara was akin to her antique Russian coronet collection. She promptly added that her assemblage is predominantly composed of costume-jeweled crowns – "or else I wouldn't be here toiling away backstage" she quipped. I would have to beg otherwise considering that just three hours later at Colette I spotted Odile's eponymous in-demand line of sleek hairpins when I hastily snapped up a grey Lanvin ribbon motif pearl necklace and a straw Maison Michel hat [video] with Liberty print ditzy floral trim [photo].

As the industry's chicest coiffeuse (scope out her portrait here lensed by Karl Lagerfeld), Odile's gravity-defying 'dos include Kirsten Dunst in Marie Antoinette and the notoriously innovative hairstyles at Rodarte, Jean-Paul Gaultier, Bottega Veneta, and Nina Ricci: so it's only fitting that the French Minister of Culture and Communications recently bestowed Odile with the medallion of Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres. 

But for the love of transformative coifs... please don't stray from the backstage! 

bunny BISOUS,

ox jf

• Related: The History of Model Bags Explained: Backstage at Haute Couture Week [PAPERMAG] 

• Related: Top Fashion Hairstylist Odile Gilbert [Teen Vogue]   

• Related: Fêting Odile's fellow recipient of the Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres, The New York Times' Bill Cunningham at Bergdorf Goodman [Guest of a Guest]

• Link: Check out photos that I snapped at the intimate Chanel HC presentation at Pavillon Cambon Capucines (and noticable lack of quality compared to Mark's handiwork) after running into Patti Wilson and Rose Apodaca [The Cobrasnake]

Comments

[vintage Tea]

The crown is stunning.
I love your blog btw

Visit http://vintage-tea.blogspot.com/

x

[Luna]

oh wow, that crown is straight out od a fairytale. every girls fantasy.

[Valerie]

I saw your blog in TeenVogue decided to drop by. Love your blog. :)

[Bonnie]

That crown is absolutely gorgeous! How enchanting.

[chasing anna wintour]

Chasing Anna Wintour says your blog is awesome.

ooooh....i heart the crown...fits me...Karl is soooo wrong when he says 'bilng is out'

[Ruby]

So pretty!!! love it! (\_/)
(+.+) <----this bunny is for you!
(")(")

[Hyun]

Hi!
I really like your blog_
actually I saw YOU in 'NYLON magazin Korea'
That acticle was about street fashion in Paris.
You wore a pretty hairband looks like tiara.

[Elana]

1) She looks absolutely Vlada-riffic. I'm still so jealous you got to capture this beautiful moment!

2) I'd been wondering why the crown looked so familiar all this time...and then I remembered this: http://www.shabbychic.com/store/collection2.aspx?collectionid=11&outfitid=110

We need this for the apt, yes?

3) The macaroons were scrumptious. Thanks so much again ;)

[speechless_fashion]

Beautiful! love these pictures!

http://speechlesstrend.blogspot.com/

[tahda]

lovely post! I want one of those crowns asap ;)

[Rebecca]

This is fantastic! Vlada is so precious

http://yourneverneverland.blogspot.com/